What a Wonderful Christmas
by Laura x Tennant
Summary: It's Christmas on Pete's World for the Doctor  part-human  and Rose Tyler. What revelations, gifts, and sexiness will the festivities bring? Only one way to find out... read it and see :  Much love xxx
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: SO, it's Christmas soon :D THEREFORE, here is some 10.5/Rose christmassy fluff, a gift from me to you :) I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 1**

In fairness, he was a lot like her in the mornings now. Usually.

Usually, he'd snuggle into the duvet or her and not rouse until she enticed him out of bed with the promise of food. Or sex. Or both. Either that, or until she _ordered _him out of bed to save the world again. That was just as common.

But today was a special day. No aliens today. Hopefully. And it was a _very _special day. And he had a plan. And he was excited.

"Rose," he whispered softly.

No response.

"Rose..." He tugged on her hair.

Silence.

He tickled her bare shoulders. "Rose!"

"What?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Time to get up!"

"'tisn't."

He chuckled. "'tis!"

"Nah, you're wrong..."

"I am not. Come on!" He tried to prise the pillow from under her head, but she grabbed it firmly and kept it where it was.

"Too tired," she moaned.

"Rooooseee!" he whined. He flung his arm over her, frustrated, and tried to jostle her awake.

"In a _minute_," she insisted.

"Rose!" he repeated again impatiently, before sighing in a weary fashion. Concluding that he wasn't going to get anywhere simply saying her name over and over again, he decided it was time to play dirty.

Sneaking his hands under the covers, he trailed one up her leg, over her hip, across her stomach, around her -

"Oh for goodness' sake," she sighed dramatically, opening her eyes as she flopped onto her back in defeat. She couldn't help but smile in approval when his hands continued exploring her body.

"Rose," he said softly. "Merry Christmas."

She turned on her side to regard him thoughtfully, her brow furrowing as she stared at him.

"What?" he asked, half-amused, half-self conscious.

She grinned at him. "You've had a peek, haven't you?"

_Ah._

He cleared his throat nervously. "What?"

"At your present. You've either opened it already, or at least taken a look."

"Don't know what you are talking about," he denied. "Unless you mean..." he continued, lifting the duvet and staring pointedly at her breasts. "Cos I'll admit, I do often take a peek at these."

She snatched the covers back over herself. "Yeah, but I'm not giving you them as your Christmas present."

He looked a little disheartened.

"Not your main one, anyway," she smiled teasingly.

"Excellent!"

"So, you've had a look?" she repeated.

He shifted until he was lying on top of her, unable to resist the sexy know-it-all look she currently had on her face. "So what if I have? I know for a fact that you've looked at your present, too."

Rose trailed her hands down his back and grinned when he breathed in sharply. "Oh, really?"

"Really." He kissed her, then, in a very distracting manner, because he knew she hadn't really seen her present, and thus she needed distracting.

They were both breathless by the time he pulled back, and she stared up at him fondly. "You know what you're going to do now?" she asked him teasingly, running a finger down his chest to the waistband of his boxers.

He grinned. "Yep. You," he answered simply, before licking a path up her neck to her earlobe.

She laughed, which turned into a moan of appreciation. "Yeah, but _first,"_ she insisted, pulling him back by his hair. "You're going to make me a nice breakfast."

The Doctor stared at her, his eyes dark and his mouth hanging open. "I am not," he retorted hotly after a beat. He kissed his way down to her breasts and very pointedly showed her his true intentions for the Christmas Morning Agenda.

"Mmm," she murmured. "You are."

"I'm not. This _is_ breakfast," he informed her bare stomach, shuffling further down between her legs as he swirled his tongue around her left hip, then _lower_ -

"Doctor," she managed to gasp out. "Seriously, oh god, get out of the bedroom, go – _oh – _into th..the kitchen, _guh._ And, um. Make waffles or something. You can – _Doctor._ Bring syrup, yeah? I promise."

He paused his ministrations at the mention of syrup, weighing up the options.

_Rose or syrup? OR Rose __and __syrup? Yeah, that's..._

He lifted his head and looked up at her. "You really want me to abandon this right now?" he questioned lightly, running his hand up her thigh.

Rose pushed her foot hard into the mattress in defiance and rolled her eyes. "I think I'll cope," she bit out. "Just do as you're told, yeah?"

He squinted at her, convinced she was up to something. She never usually ordered him away at times like this; quite the opposite, in fact. "Right," he relented. "Well...Rose and Syrup does sound quite appealing, so..."

"Waffles too, though, right?" she reminded him.

"Oh yeah, of course," he agreed, getting to his knees. "We'll need sustenance, after all." He grinned at her mischievously and gave her raised knee a sloppy kiss. "I'll be back."

Rose watched as he grabbed his dressing gown and exited the room. "Doctor?" she called out to him. She giggled lovingly at his messy hair when he poked his head back around the bedroom door. "Merry Christmas," she finished softly. He beamed at her, and she soon heard the motions of him making breakfast. Which, naturally, consisted of various sounds that normal people _don't _get the kitchen appliances to make when _they_ make breakfast. Apparently, _everything could do with being a little more sonic, Rose Tyler. _Including the oven? _Er, obviously._

She smiled contentedly, and looked over at her chest of drawers. Her smile grew into a wicked grin, and she jumped to her feet excitedly.

_TBC ..._

**A/N: Sooo, what didya think so far? xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The Doctor was already talking to her as he came through the bedroom door. "Here we go, waffles and syrup and tea, the perfect Chris - " He cut himself off as he saw her, and the breakfast tray almost slipped from his hands. "Oh."

Rose grinned at him, tongue between teeth. "You like?"

He swallowed heavily. "Oh," he repeated, speechless.

"Merry Christmas, lover," she purred, before bursting into laughter. "Nice present, yeah?"

"Very," he agreed. "Very nice."

His gaze swept over her very, very nicely dressed – by which he meant _barely _dressed – body, and he took an unconscious step forward.

Rose giggled again. "It's funny, I never imagined I'd get quite this reaction from you."

"Rose, you are wearing a corset. And not much else. How did you _expect _me to react? Coherently?"

"You still seem pretty coherent to me," she pointed out.

He placed the tray of food gently on the bedside table, affecting a sense of calmness. Then, abruptly, he jumped onto the bed next to her, making her squeal in surprise as he tickled her mercilessly.

"No! Stop, stop!" she laughed, kicking her legs ineffectually.

Eventually, he did stop, and lay down, staring at her.

"What?" she mumbled self-consciously. It was silly, really; the way he could still make her feel shy. But it was the way he looked at her – like he'd never been so happy, so lucky to be with her.

"Nothing," he smiled, passing her the plate of waffles. He watched as she ate one slowly, biting into it and tearing it bit by bit. A bit of syrup dropped onto her chin and taunted him as it leisurely slid down to her neck; it gave him inspiration.

He reached over for the bottle and unceremoniously squirted syrup into the dip in her neck, grinning at her cheekily when her eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, now. What am I gonna do about that?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied ruefully. "I think I might need to intervene." He leant forward and licked at the syrup, catching the errant drop from before with his tongue as well.

"Rose, have I told you recently just how much I love you?" he murmured, kissing her collar bone.

"Yeah, yesterday," she informed him, shifting to accomodate him as he moved on top of her. "But, you know. You can tell me again, if you like."

He took up her offer delightedly. "Well," he began, hooking his hands under her knees to bring her legs up and around his waist. "I - "

He was rudely interrupted by the phone ringing, and they both groaned. Silently and mutually agreeing to ignore it, he kissed her. She ran her hands through his hair, gasping to his mouth when his hands –

And that was when the answer phone kicked in. The Doctor jumped away from Rose immediately. _Funny what the voice of Jackie Tyler can do to my arousal levels, _he pondered absently, rolling onto his back. He glanced mournfully at the bottle of syrup that had now rolled onto the floor and vowed to himself they'd do that again tomorrow.

"_Hello, love, Merry Christmas! And to the alien. Speaking of which, get off her, will you? It's barely –_

"_Jackie! You can't say that!" _came another voice.

"_I'll say what I like, Pete Tyler. I don't want to walk in on them two at it when - "_

Rose hastily scrambled for the phone before the Doctor could hear anymore. "_Mum_," she said sharply into the receiver. "Do you mind?"

"Finished then?" Jackie laughed.

"No, actually. You saw to that," she answered without thinking.

Silence.

Rose flushed red, and cleared her throat. "Anyway, what did you mean when you said about walking in on - "

Rose stopped talking and looked at the Doctor in horror when the doorbell rang.

Jackie cackled on the other end of the line. "See you soon, love." And then she hung up.

The Doctor gulped. "If that's your mother..." he said warningly, waving his hand in the general direction of the door.

Rose sighed, grabbed a random shirt of the floor – one of his_, _incidentally, which the Doctor didn't fail to notice, and neither did certain aspects of his anatomy. _And, back again. Funny, that_ – and put it on to hide her rather revealing underwear.

She did up the buttons as she walked, glad that he was so tall that the shirt hung down to her thighs, and opened the front door with trepidation. Expecting her mother, Rose's mouth slid open in shock when she saw it was actually a man holding a massive hamper.

"Um. Hello?" she greeted warily.

"Hi!" cried the man, his eyes raking over her appreciatively.

She folded her arms across her chest and shuffled her lower body behind the door slightly, out of the stranger's view. "What can I do for you?"

"Happy Christmas!" he announced joyfully, thrusting the hamper in her direction.

She took hold of it steadily, and tried to remain calm. "Happy Christmas. And you are? And this is?" she said, gesturing to the man and then the thing in her hands.

"I'm Ronald the delivery guy," he told her with a bright smile.

She nodded, as if that had explained everything. "Right."

In an instant, the man's expression turned anxious, serious, guilty. "Listen, I'm so, so sorry I didn't get it to you before. You see, I only just found it in the stock room. It's all my fault! I'd meant to get it to you the day before Christmas Eve, but I didn't see it! I'm really, truly sorry."

Rose's expression softened, although she was a bit bemused at how you could miss seeing a hamper this size; it was bloody massive. "Oh, listen, don't worry about it. Thing is, Ronald, I'm not sure this is meant for us. You sure you got the address right?"

"Oh yes," he nodded enthusiastically. "It's right. Must be an unexpected gift, no?"

"Oh. Well, yeah. I s'pose it must be." She grinned at him. "Well, thanks for getting it to us today, anyway."

"I'm so sorry it's late!" he said again.

"No worries. Anyway, it's Christmas Day, right? So it's not too late, not really. Thanks for going to the trouble of bringing it this morning."

"Oh, it was the least I could do," Ronald replied.

"Have a nice Christmas," Rose smiled, manoeuvring slowly to get the hamper through the doorway.

"You too!" he cried cheerfully, evidently relieved, as he walked down the corridor.

Rose closed the door and leant against it heavily, watching the Doctor with a small smile on her face.

"Rose? Everything alright?" the Doctor asked her, walking around the sitting room with an arm full of clothes, clearly on a frantic trip around the flat to get everything cleared up in case they had some visitors.

She was glad to see that he hadn't bothered to get dressed yet, though. He did look nice in those tight boxers. "Mmm. What do you reckon this is?" she replied, kicking the hamper lightly.

The Doctor shrugged indifferently, chucking the stuff in his arms behind him so that it expertly landed on their bed beyond the open bedroom door. "Open it and find out."

She narrowed her eyes at him when he flopped down leisurely on the sofa. He was usually the first one wanting to tear things apart and find out what was inside. Especially with suspicious packages. That's how she knew he'd already peeked at his present; he wouldn't have been able to resist, seeing it all wrapped up invitingly under the tree. But he didn't look like he cared about this in the least.

"Have a guess," requested Rose, pushing the hamper towards him.

"Nah, why don't you just open it?" he repeated, sniffing nonchalantly and putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"Do you have something to do with this?" she asked him suspiciously, her lips curving into a smile.

"No, why would you think that?" he asked, apparently baffled by the notion.

Her smile faded and she frowned. "What if it's aliens?"

The Doctor burst out laughing.

"What?" she exclaimed defensively. "Could be! It's not the first time I've had parcels in the post from friendly aliens wanting to give me a gift."

"When you say gift, do you mean, gift, or do you mean 'gift?'" he asked curiously, leaning forward.

"Both," she answered with a shudder. "A decapitated tentacle one week, but a nice Ambiantic veroticalar the next."

"You've got an Ambiantic veroticalar?" he asked excitedly. _Oh, the fun that would bring..._

She grinned. "Yeah. But you broke it your first week here, remember?"

He frowned. "Oh yeah. With the - "

" – Tortoise Incident, yeah," she finished, laughing.

They sat there smiling affectionately at each other for a few moments, eyes dancing over shared memories, before he softly murmured, "Open the hamper."

"Later," she whispered back. She came over to him and sat on his lap, kissing him sweetly. "That okay with you?"

"If you want," he mumbled into her neck, revelling in the path her hands were taking down his torso. He slid his own hands under the hem of her – well, his – shirt, and caressed her stomach softly, liking the silky fabric very much indeed.

"It could be a bomb," she teased.

"Could be," he considered. He ripped the shirt open. "Might not be, though."

"Mmm, might not be," she agreed.

Just as she was pushing him backwards onto the sofa, the doorbell rang again. They stilled, and the Doctor watched in fascination as Rose's look turned thunderous. He smothered a laugh, and playfully tipped her off him. "Go and get dressed," he instructed, standing up and stretching. "It's bound to be your mother, this time." He looked pointedly down at himself, thinking and thinking about Jackie being just outside the flat.

_Ooh, it works on demand, _he thought, grinning.

"Hmph," Rose grumbled, climbing over the back of the sofa and dragging herself into their room. She looked back over her shoulder at him walking towards the door in just his boxers. "Hang on! You can't answer the door like that!"

He flashed her a wicked grin, and opened the door anyway. "Morning Jackie. Pete. Tony! Happy Christmas!"

Rose groaned, and hastily closed the bedroom door to start dressing.

...

**A/N: Much like the postman in this story, I AM SO VERY VERY SORRY. This was supposed to be posted in December. Hence the Christmassyness. Alas, two months have crept by without me realising, so here I am, continuing this when it's way past Christmas. Do you still want it? Is it better late than never? Or shall I save it for next time Christmas comes around? **

**Much love and apologies, **

**Laura xxxxxxxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"You could have put some clothes on," Jackie scolded gently, before pulling him into a tight hug that thoroughly disturbed him. "Merry Christmas!"

"Yes, well. Kept getting distracted," he apologised, before shaking Pete's hand in greeting. "Anyway, come in, make yourselves at home. I'll go and get dressed. Tony, make sure they don't touch the Important Secret Stuff, yeah?" he asked, ruffling the little boy's hair.

"Yep!" Tony beamed in response, proud to be entrusted with such a job.

"Good boy. Won't be a minute."

As he made for the bedroom, stepping up and over the back of the sofa as he went (because Rose had done so, and it looked fun) he heard Jackie and Pete both question Tony as to what the Important Secret Stuff was. He grinned when Tony, in his own special way, refused to tell them –

"If I told you, I'd have to beam you up to Jupiter with the Doctor's Invirmigol Transmat."

- and quietly opened the door.

"Aren't we lucky, Rose," he began, watching her put on her makeup at her dressing table. He closed the door. "To have such a lovely family."

Rose eyed him suspiciously. "Either you're drunk, or...did you invite them here today?" she asked, twisting around to face him as he sat on their bed. "'Cos they're usually quite content to stay at their place at Christmas time. Why suddenly visit us in the middle of Christmas morning? It doesn't make sense. Oh god, they aren't expecting dinner, are they? 'Cos you know, I wasn't gonna bother with all that. I thought we could just get a takeaway and sit in front of the TV and watch Christmas films all day."

"I most certainly did not invite them," he protested, folding his arms. "But your mother is quite frightening when she's got a pair of scissors in her hand, just so you know." Rose groaned. "So I may have been forced into agreeing to them visiting, yeah."

"When was this?" Rose demanded.

"Ooh...yesterday?"

"You're so weak," she tutted. "Why couldn't we have had Christmas to ourselves, eh? Every year we end up saving the universe on Christmas Day, yeah? Then this year, we get time off work, I pull some strings to make sure that we don't get called out to help if aliens _do _invade, and - "

" – you did?" interrupted the Doctor. He smiled at her warmly. "That's so sweet."

"And then we end up with my parents here!"

"Hey, they aren't _so _bad, you know," he pointed out. "At least Tony is a lot of fun." He leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, pondering. "It'll be nice to have a kid around really, won't it? That's what Christmas is all about. Family. Children," he murmured quietly.

_Is he...? Is he hinting that we should...? _Rose suddenly felt all...nervous? Happy? Relieved? She had butterflies in her tummy, that was for sure, but she also had to bite her lip to keep the huge grin from spilling out across her face. "Not when I planned sex, curry, TV and more sex for the whole day," she teased, climbing onto the bed with him.

She felt him shiver. "Well." He swallowed. "We can do that tomorrow. Amongst the wrapping paper," he said, turning on his side and grinning. "To celebrate."

She snuggled into him. "Yeah. Hang on, to celebrate what?"

He stiffened. "Well, Boxing Day," he said hurriedly. "Or, alternatively, We Made It Through Christmas Without Aliens Invading-slash-Jackie Slapping the Doctor Day."

"Mmm, good points, all of them." She smiled and kissed his chest lightly. "Go on. You get dressed. I'll go make everyone tea, we'll open all our presents whilst listening to some complementary Christmas music, and then me and you will challenge Tony to a Mario Kart Tournament."

"Excellent ideas, Rose," he complimented. She started to move away and he pulled her back, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I love you, you know."

She beamed. "I know. Love you too. Hurry up, yeah? Don't leave me out there on my own too long," she requested.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

On the other side of the bedroom door, Rose sighed happily. Because if the way he'd been talking in there had been anything to go by, he wanted to have –

"Rose!" Tony squealed at the sight of his sister, launching himself at her for a hug.

"Hello," she said, squeezing him to her. "Happy Christmas! Where's mummy and daddy?"

"In your kitchen. Arguing," he confided.

"Ah." She put Tony down, and he immediately went back to where he'd been sitting on top of the hamper. "Oh, don't break that, will you? I haven't opened it yet," she said. "Be back in a sec, just gonna go and sort the Parents."

Tony nodded happily, and pressed his lips together to hold in a giggle.

When Rose was safely out of the room, Tony made the signal; four knocks on the coffee table. The Doctor creaked open the bedroom door, and poked his head out.

"Is the Brilliant Christmas Plan still going ahead today, Doctor?" whispered Tony.

The Doctor smiled. "Definitely. Now, when she comes back in, you make sure you're still sitting on that, yeah? Don't let her open it until I'm in the room. Blimey, I'm glad you're here though, Tony," the Doctor admitted. "I dunno what I'd do if you weren't. She's so stubborn, your sister, she wouldn't even - "

" – shh! I think she's coming," cried Tony, picking up his Nintendo DS to pretend to be playing studiously.

"Right-o!" The Doctor firmly shut the door again.

"Honestly, Tony. Those two are actually unbelievable." Rose shook her head exasperatingly. "Doctor!" she called.

The Doctor, sighing dramatically, opened the door again and poked his head back out. "Yes, dear?"

"She's only gone and brought a turkey and everything, hasn't she!" Rose exclaimed.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed back. Then he saw Rose's face. "Uh...not...brilliant?"

"Well, yeah, it's great and everything, she makes nice Christmas dinners, and at least you and me won't forget to eat again; it's not that that's the problem. It's the fact that now, her and Dad are arguing over who gets to do what. It's exhausting."

"Oh, just let 'em get on with it. At least you don't have to do it," the Doctor pointed out. "Thank god," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" she demanded, having heard said mutter.

"Nothing!" he denied, with wide eyes.

Tony's giggles broke the hard stare that Rose was giving the Doctor, and she started to laugh too.

"Can I finish getting dressed, now?" the Doctor asked politely.

"Yes," she confirmed, plonking herself down on the sofa.

"Thanks." And he disappeared again.

"Right, that's it. She can do it all herself," grumbled Pete, walking into the room. "You got any drink, love?"

Rose laughed. "Help yourself," she said, nodding towards the drinks cabinet. "Thanks for coming today, by the way."

"Thought you didn't want us here," Pete retorted good-naturedly, raising an eyebrow.

"I think the Doctor did, though," she murmured thoughtfully.

"Oh?" he replied, scotch in hand as he sat opposite her.

"Yeah." She glanced at Tony, who appeared to be engrossed in his game, and leant forward. "Listen, Dad, can I tell you something?"

Pete mirrored her position, sensing a sharing of a secret. He liked moments like this, when he could bond with Rose and be a proper father to her. "Yeah, course you can. What's up?"

Rose bit her lip, and fiddled nervously with the sleeve of her top. "Don't tell Mum yet, but...Well. I think..." she trailed off.

"Go on," her father prompted.

She cleared her throat. "I think the Doctor wants us to have a baby," she confided quietly.

Tony smiled to himself, but didn't acknowledge to anyone that he'd heard, and continued trying to defeat the Evil Beetle-Man on Level Fourteen.

Pete, meanwhile, choked on his drink. "He _what?_"

Rose coughed awkwardly, unsure at Pete's reaction. "What? You don't think he does? Or do you think I'm too young? Or do you think it's a bad idea? Or do you think it's - "

" – Rose, shh," Pete interrupted softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to react like that. Uh...well. I'm probably not the best person to ask about this, but...well." He rubbed his brow nervously. "Well, I know that things are serious between the two of you..."

"Obviously," inputted Rose, with a roll of her eyes.

Tony smirked, but neither adult noticed.

"Yeah, obviously," Pete agreed. "And he adores you, that's abundantly clear."

Rose beamed. "Yeah?"

"Yes. But."

"But?" she asked worriedly, leaning further forward.

"I have to ask you this. Because I'm your Dad, yeah?" He looked to her for confirmation.

"Yeah, you're my Dad," she smiled warmly, amused that she still had to reassure him of that, even after all these years.

"Right, good. Well, what do _you _want? Do you want a baby? Think about your job, Rose. You love Torchwood. Think about all the travelling the pair of you do. You love that, too. All those adventures that you get up to, all that trouble you get into. Could you take a child into that? No. But could you give it all up? I don't think you, or him, could do that either."

She stared at him, her mouth opening and closing, but no words coming out.

Tony sat still, rigid, waiting for his sister to answer, his smile fading exponentially when she didn't give one.

"Just think about it carefully, Rose," Pete said. "Make sure it's what you both want. Because you can't take it back, after."

Tony thought about Albert, the dog the Doctor and Rose had had for a while last year, before they decided it was too much work and gave it to him to look after instead. He loved Albert the Dog dearly, and couldn't thank them enough when they'd given him to him.

However, he would _not _thank them if they gave him their baby to look after. He shuddered.

Rose's mouth was dry. "I..." she croaked out.

But Rose was saved from trying to respond to that when the Doctor bounced into the room joyfully.

"Hey!" the Doctor pouted. "Where's the Christmas music, then, eh? Rose, you did promise it!" he exclaimed, before bounding over to the stereo and riffling through their CDs.

Pete looked at his daughter pointedly. "You've got one child already, remember," he smiled.

"Mmm," she agreed absently, her mind whirring.

Jackie entered the room just as _All I Want For Christmas_ came on, and the Doctor immediately swept her into a dance.

Rose started to smile, watching her mum giggle in delight, and jumped up, grabbing Pete and Tony's hands in each of hers, so that they were all dancing together. A big, happy family.

And she closed her eyes and silently thanked him, wherever he was in the other universe, for giving this to her; all she could ever want. There had been a few hard times over the last couple of years, with arguing and flying crockery and crying and fighting as they tried to adjust to it all, this new life. But they got through it, just like they always did, just like they always would, and now she was the happiest she'd ever been. Things were falling into place, and she loved him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It was a little while later, when they'd all collapsed to the floor exhausted, that Tony announced it was Present Time. One by one, he collected the gifts from under the tree and delivered them to their correct person. Squeals of delight and protesting groans (_a reindeer jumper, Jackie? Really?) _followed, and Tony was giddy with sugar and examining his piles of treasure like a King observing his Camelot.

The penultimate present, the Doctor unwrapped one from Rose - a box full of his favourite sweets, socks and screws all aligned inside (the last of which: a subtle hint that he still needed to put up their new shelves with a non-sonic screwdriver, seeing as the sonic one did not succeed in the job; _I can't help it if it doesn't work on wood, Rose!_), before grinning stupidly and adoringly at her. "I love you."

"You knew what it was anyway," she laughed, pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek. Tony handed her one from the Doctor, and she tore it open quickly, laughing in delight when she discovered it was the box-set of Star Wars. "You think you're so impressive!" she declared to him, leaning into him for a hug.

"I am so impressive," he retorted. "And you said you hadn't seen any of them, which is unacceptable. A tragedy, in fact!" He kissed her neck sweetly, and murmured a promise, "Your real present comes later."

She looked up at him quizzically, but all he did was raise a knowing eyebrow and declare she had to wait and see.

Jackie watched the couple with a happy grin on her face, and tucked herself under Pete's arm. "I'm so glad he's here for her."

"Me too," Pete agreed warmly, pressing a kiss to his wife's hair.

Tony groaned. "Why is everyone always kissing around here?"

Rose laughed. "Why? Are you jealous?" She grabbed him to her and kissed his nose, and the Doctor tickled him as he shrieked loudly.

"Get off! Eugh! Get off!" he cried as Rose kissed him again, giggling in that uncontrollable fashion that the Doctor had noticed the Tyler family did so frequently.

"Right, the dinner should be ready now," Jackie announced, standing up.

"I'll come and help serve up," Rose offered, setting Tony into the Doctor's lap (which he pointedly and immediately wriggled out of; _I'm not a baby!) _and following her mother out to the kitchen.

The Doctor reached over and grabbed one of Tony's presents, a pack of Top Trumps, and began to deal the cards out between them.

"You playing, Pete?" he asked.

"No, it's alright, I'll sit out, ta. You two play," replied Pete.

He watched the Doctor carefully, noting how joyous and enthusiastic he seemed when playing with Tony, and a lump came to his throat. He thought back over his conversation with Rose, wondering if, in his concern, he'd put her off having kids. If he had done, he regretted it now. The Doctor would be a fantastic father, and Rose a fantastic mother. He knew that.

He wondered if the Doctor had actually thought about it; was Rose right in thinking he wanted them?

"Have you ever thought about having a baby with Rose?" Pete blurted out unthinkingly.

The Doctor, who was at that moment on the verge of losing his card, took this line of inquiry from Pete as a distraction tactic to fool Tony via delay. "Course I have," he answered easily.

Pete's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

The Doctor looked at him openly. "Yeah." He grinned. "We'd have great kids. Her looks, my intelligence? Perfect combination!"

Pete smiled back encouragingly, but couldn't help but ask, "But how would kids fit in with your life?"

He shrugged. "We'd make it work."

"Rose wouldn't give up her job," Pete said ruefully, but the Doctor looked doubtful.

Then he shrugged again. "Then I'll be a house-husband."

"Shh!" Tony cried, alarmed.

The Doctor looked at Tony meaningfully, and the little boy went back to studying the cards.

"Really?" Pete said dubiously. "You'd do that for her?"

"I'd do anything for her, you know that," the Doctor corrected gently.

"So if she didn't want a baby, you'd be fine with that, too?" Pete persisted.

"Of course," he replied. "Either way, I'll love her forever."

"You'd be happy, just the two of you, forever?"

The Doctor smiled. "Yes. Look, Pete, I'm not going to force Rose into anything. It's up to her whether or when she wants a baby, there's no pressure. If she gets pregnant, then that's lovely, but if she decides she'd rather not, then that's fine too. She's all I've ever wanted, and a baby will be a bonus. The very edible ball-bearing on the banana icing on the chocolate cake."

"Right," nodded Pete, finally reassured.

"Has she mentioned something, then?" asked the Doctor innocently.

Pete's eyes widened guiltily, but the Doctor didn't seem to notice. "No. No, she hasn't mentioned anything."

"Okay," he accepted, turning back to Tony. "Right, I win that card, remember."

"No, you liar. I get your one, you lost on Ability."

"Damn you, Tony Tyler. You're far too good. Do you know, Rose and I were once trapped in a prison cell on Karfor Six, and we played this game – the intergalactic edition, mind – for _four hours._ And guess who won?"

"Rose," Tony answered easily.

"Precisely!" grumbled the Doctor. "_Every_ bloody time. You've inherited good blood, Tony T. Never forget that!"

Pete took a swig of his drink and smiled, and before he knew it, he was picturing grandchildren with crazy hair, deep brown eyes, and a capacity to ramble.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Dinner is served," sing-songed Rose cheerfully, ushering everyone to the table.

They all sat down obediently as Jackie passed each of them their plates. "There's plenty more veg and potatoes, so eat up, won't you?" Jackie requested. They all affirmed that they would. Especially the Doctor.

The Doctor was seated opposite Rose, and had his Right Hand Man, Tony T, to his right (this was deliberate, obviously.) Jackie was opposite Tony, on Rose's left, and Pete was on the end of the table, nearest his wife and son. In the background was _White Christmas; _on the telly was the muted President's Speech; behind them, the Christmas tree lights were shining, the wrapping paper and presents were everywhere; knives and forks were scraping and everyone was laughing, and Rose felt like crying, she was so happy.

The Doctor smiled at her when he felt her feet situate themselves in his lap, and he slipped a hand beneath the table to tickle one lightly. She mock-glared, suppressing a laugh, and responded by pressing her other foot somewhere highly inappropriate for a family affair.

His hand abruptly stopped tickling, and he grabbed the cracker at the side of his plate. "Rose," he said warningly. She giggled, moving her foot away slightly, and he relaxed, offering her the cracker over the table.

She pulled the other end, but the Doctor won, and out came a puzzle and a pink hat. He already had a red hat on himself, and so he handed it to her, a lump in his throat as he watched her put it on and, glancing at her mum, make the connection.

"No aliens today, though," he murmured, leaning forward with his elbows on the table as he stared at her contentedly, his chin in his palm.

"Not quite," she replied with a nervous smile.

His brow furrowed slightly, and he was about to ask her what she meant, when Tony whispered something in his ear. He nodded in reply, and it was Rose's turn to frown.

"What are you two conspiring about?" she laughed.

"Nothing, Rose," Tony sighed, shaking his head. "It's not all about you, you know."

The Doctor, along with Jackie and Pete, who had paused in their conversation, burst into hysterical laughter. Rose stared at her little brother, open-mouthed.

"Yeah, Rose," the Doctor teased between chuckles. "It's not all about you."

Rose glared at them both playfully, and threw what remained of the Doctor's cracker at Tony's head. He ducked, expertly, and grinned at his partner in crime.

"Seriously, though, you two have so many secrets," Rose pestered. "What is it?"

"Nothing to do with you," the Doctor informed her, wagging his finger at her, before standing up suddenly, sniffing.

"What is it?" Jackie asked, panicked. "Is something burning? Everything's out of the oven..."

"No, no, it's – outside. Look outside," he insisted, gesturing at them with his hands.

"If it's aliens..." Rose tutted under her breath.

They all gathered at the open window, and peered into the early evening's dark sky.

"Wow!" murmured Tony, in awe.

The sky was alight with colour and sparkles; fireworks shot up and up, one after the other. "Someone's having a hell of a party," said Pete, a smile in his voice.

The Doctor wrapped his arm around Rose, and gently tugged her away from the window.

"What are you...? I want to see the - " He cut her off with a kiss, his hands at her face, sliding into her hair as he held her to him; she responded passionately, and looped her arms around his waist tightly.

Rose only realised that he'd guided them to the sofa when he pulled back, breathless. "Open the hamper," he whispered, his thumb brushing across her lips tenderly.

"The hamper?" she echoed, starting to beam. "So it _was _you."

"Open it and find out," he said impatiently, kissing her nose.

She glanced at the hamper, then at her family all huddled by the window, then back at the hamper, then at the Doctor.

"Well, go on," he insisted, pushing her gently down towards it. "While they're distracted."

Rose grinned, and knelt down on the floor. He sat down beside her, his back to the sofa, as he watched her open it up. He laughed, highly amused when she groaned in annoyance that once opened, the hamper had but another box inside. She opened that too, to find yet another box. Opened that, and a slightly smaller one was inside. She took it out, resting it on her lap carefully, expecting this to be the final box.

It wasn't. Another box, about the size of a dinner plate but rectangular in shape, sat inside. The Doctor smirked at the confused look she turned on him, and shrugged. Sighing dramatically at his uncharacteristic romanticness and completely in-character mysteriousness - but loving every moment - Rose opened this final box.

She gasped; inside was a beautiful set of jewellery. A diamond necklace, a pair of earrings, a bracelet. She took them out one by one and stared in awe, feeling over them in her hands before requesting he help her put them on. He did so, swallowing thickly, and she kissed him.

"Thank you, thank you," she murmured, words ghosting over his lips. "Thank you so much, they're all beautiful, it's perfect." Tears glistened in her eyes, and he took her hands in his to steady them (her hands were shaking; but so were his.)

"You're welcome," he replied softly. He glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, but look. There's one more thing."

She frowned in confusion, and the Doctor tilted his head forward, motioning for her to turn around. She did, and found Tony standing behind her, his hands behind his back.

"Tony?" she said, wiping her eyes absently. "What...?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Tony held out his clasped hands in front of him, and nodded at the Doctor.

In a shaky voice, the Doctor whispered into her ear, "Close your eyes, and hold out your hand, Rose Tyler."

Rose turned to eye him quizzically, but he just stared at her, urging her to trust him with his eyes. She did trust him, more than anyone, so she did as he asked. That was when she felt Tony drop something into her hand.

She leant against the Doctor, her back to his front, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Can I see what it is, yet?" she whispered.

"Can't you guess?" he smiled. "Okay, open your eyes."

She did. And then her heart almost stopped.

She turned her head, open-mouthed, pulse racing, and found him staring at her silently, a nervous smile on his lips. She looked back at her brother, who was also staring at her, but grinning happily. Then she looked back down at the palm of her hand, which held the most exquisite silver ring, set with a beautiful diamond, she'd ever seen.

She slumped back against the Doctor, and whispered, "Is this...are you...is this...?"

He tightened his hold on her, and nuzzled her neck. "Did I mention, I'd like you to be my wife?"

Rose choked back a sob, and she twisted in his arms to seal their lips together firmly, laughing against his mouth.

"Is that a yes?" he asked gently, a lump in his throat.

"Yes," she breathed out, smiling through her tears. "Yes, of course it is, you daft alien."

He beamed at her, and delightedly took the ring from her hand, pushing it onto her finger before seizing her face in his hands and kissing her soundly.

He broke off, squeezing her tight and kissing her hair. "Now I know what you meant about celebrating tomorrow," she realised as he cuddled her close.

He chuckled. "Ah, yes. The Boxing Day Celebrations. Ooh, look, your mother's crying. Maybe I will get a slap after all."

"Don't be stupid," Jackie said, rushing over to them, Pete hot on her tails. "I'm just so happy for you! Never thought I'd see the day!"

Rose grinned at her new fiancé. "Me neither," she admitted.

"What?" he replied, acting scandalised. "You never thought I was the committing type?" She just carried on smiling, and admired her left hand with her mum.

"Well done, mate," Pete said, patting him on the back.

"Thanks." The Doctor took this all as approval and high-fived Tony. "Well, it all worked out then, Right Hand Man. No more secrets," he sighed. Tony looked ready to say something in response to that, but the Doctor winked at him, and the little boy closed his mouth, grinning knowingly.

"Actually, Doctor," Rose began to say, right as the Doctor had started to stand. He sank back down to the floor with an anxious expression.

"What is it?" he asked her quickly.

She bit her lip, and looked nervously at her Dad for a moment. Pete looked back at her, bewildered; he didn't have a clue what she was going to say.

"Well, it's just...see, the thing is..."

"_What?_" panicked the Doctor.

"Spit it out darling, he's getting worried that you're changing your mind! You'll give his poor solitary heart an attack, you will!" put in Jackie.

Rose laughed. "No! No, it's alright, Doctor, it's nothing like that."

He visibly relaxed. "Then what is it?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

"I've got another present for you, too," she admitted, getting to her feet.

He smiled eagerly. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Just – wait here. I'll be back in a mo," she told him, before grabbing a loose bit of wrapping paper and hurrying into the bathroom.

"What on Pete's World is she going to get in there?" the Doctor wondered aloud.

Tony wandered over to his mum, and sat on her lap, patiently waiting for his sister to return to the room. Pete, suddenly cottoning on to what he thought might be going on, started pacing.

"Why are you pacing?" Jackie asked him, baffled.

He stopped pacing. "I'm not pacing."

"You were pacing. Just come and sit down, will you?" she sighed.

He did as he was told and sat next to them on the sofa, his hand tapping on his leg, unable to stop fidgeting.

The Doctor stared at the three of them, all sitting on the sofa; a happy family. And he thought back over his earlier conversation with Pete.

Oh, he wanted it. With her. He wanted that. Rose, their child on her lap, telling him off for pacing. He _wanted _that. So much. He hoped she did too.

Rose came rushing back into the room with a hastily wrapped object in her hands. She chucked it at the Doctor before she could lose her nerve, and hopped from foot to foot anxiously.

Having expertly caught the unidentified flying object, he stared at it uncertainly. "Rose - "

" – just open it," she insisted. She tilted her head then, thinking. "This is actually quite disgusting, I've just realised, but it doesn't matter. You've – _all_ – seen worse, odder things."

Pete groaned, his head in his hands. Jackie looked at him questioningly. Tony hadn't the foggiest _what_ to do, so he just crossed his arms and waited.

The Doctor's brow furrowed further; what could it possibly _be?_

"Just open it!" Rose shrieked suddenly, impatiently.

"Okay!" he agreed, jumping in alarm at her outburst. "I am!"

He tore open the paper, and his eyes widened in shock. "_Oh._"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Rose!" Jackie cried out, so abruptly and loudly that both Tony and Pete put their hands over their ears, wincing.

Rose didn't reply; she stood, silent, biting her thumb anxiously and awaiting the Doctor's verdict.

"It's a..." he began, his mouth dry.

"Oh. My God," Jackie exclaimed hysterically. "This day is just...woah. Everything's all at bloody _once._ Hah!"

"Calm down, Jackie," Pete murmured, resting a hand on her arm. "Let him...process it."

"Process what?" asked Tony, wrinkling his nose up. "It's a rubbish present. What does it do? It's just a white stick!"

The Doctor swallowed heavily, blinking back tears. "Oh, Tony," he said. "It's not a rubbish present. Not at all."

Rose sighed in relief, and ran over to him, sinking to her knees. "Is this okay? Is it? Because I wasn't sure, you know? About what you would think. And then, earlier, Dad said - "

" – Dad said what?" demanded Jackie, rounding on Pete. "You knew?"

"No!" he exclaimed fearfully. "I mean, she was asking me stuff about babies and whether her and him should have one, but I didn't _know_ she was _already _up the duff._"_

" – Dad said that he wasn't sure about a baby, because of our life, but I think - "

" – you said _what?" _cried Jackie, shoving Pete in the shoulder. "Are you insane?"

"What? She asked me for, you know, _advice!_ Fatherly advice, about pregnancy! What was I supposed to say? I gave her the other side of the argument, in case she hadn't thought it through! In case, you know, she was just doing it 'cos he wanted her to."

Rose continued, " – I think that we can manage it, can't we? I love Torchwood and aliens and everything but I think we're ready for a new adventure, and this'll be an adventure, won't it? A terrifying one, but fun, I think, yeah? And I know this is a bit sudden, and we haven't talked about it, but I think you want this, don't you? Earlier, on the bed, you said that it'll be great with Tony here - "

" – that's so sweet!" blubbed Jackie. "Isn't that sweet, Pete?"

"Yeah, that is sweet," he agreed.

" – 'cos it'll be like a proper Christmas, with a kid around. And at dinner, all I could think about was how lovely it would be for us to have _our _kids all around us too, laughing and playing and I think we'll be good, yeah? I think we'll be good parents - "

" – oh, you will, darling, you will," Jackie interjected. "They will, won't they, Pete?" she prodded.

Pete smiled. "Yeah, they will."

" – and please say this is alright, Doctor, 'cos I could never not have this baby, not now we've got it, and - "

" – Rose," the Doctor interrupted, finally getting a word in. "Rose, take a breath."

She inhaled shakily and smiled when he squeezed her shoulders reassuringly.

"Of course this is alright," he told her. "It's better than alright, it's brilliant, and I love you," he grinned, kissing her softly. He nuzzled her nose. "When did you find out?"

She sighed happily and let him move them into a more comfortable position for a cuddle. "Well, I've suspected for about a week, 'cos of the nausea."

"Nausea?"

"Yeah, every morning."

"I didn't realise," he murmured, sounding disappointed with himself, as though he'd failed her by not realising she'd been feeling unwell.

"I didn't tell you," she justified for him. "It was always really early in the morning – you were always still asleep when I was sick, and I didn't want to wake you or worry you about it."

He kissed her hair, and she continued, "And then when you were saving Westminster from being overrun with Weevils the other day, I popped along to the chemist and bought a couple of tests."

"A couple?" he repeated.

"Alright, fourteen."

"Four_teen?" _he exclaimed, bewildered.

"I wanted to make sure!" she defended. "And they all came up positive."

"How did you manage to wee that much?" he asked, and she whacked his arm. "Oi! Don't hit me, it's a legitimate question. I want to know what sort of odd bladder my future wife has."

"I didn't do them all at the same time, idiot. I did one every time I needed the loo."

"Ooh, efficient," he praised.

"I thought so," she grinned.

"So, Rose?" piped up Tony, who'd been listening to them for some time (deciding that his own mum and dad's 'heated discussion' about who their grandchild should be named after wasn't as interesting.)

"Yes, love?" she replied, lifting her arm up so that he could join their cuddle.

He snuggled into her side expertly. He pondered asking her to explain how wee was involved in all of this, but decided to say something else instead. Something more important, "Is it going to be a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know yet, sweetheart. I'll have to get a scan and see."

"Or I could tell you," murmured the Doctor.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Weelll, all that alien tech I've got in the back room – which, while we're on the subject, will have to be converted from back room to nursery, don't you think? – Anyway, all that alien tech; there's definitely a scanner amongst them."

"Yeah?" she said hopefully.

"Do you want to know?" he asked carefully. "Or would you prefer the more conventional scan at the doctor's?"

"Conventional?" she scoffed. "Since when have we been conventional? I've got a part-alien baby inside my womb."

"Yeah, but...the human experience...?"

"I'd prefer my own Doctor to scan me first," she insisted.

He grinned. "Okay. I'll have to hunt through it all though. Do you mind if we wait 'til tomorrow?"

"No, that's perfect," she smiled. "'Cos then we'll have another thing to celebrate on the day _after_ Boxing Day."

"Brilliant point, Rose Tyler."

"But I want to know _now,"_ moaned Tony.

"Tough," said his sister, ruffling his hair. "You'll just have to be patient."

"Hmph," he grumbled, before jumping up and running over to their TV and switching on the Wii.

Rose snuggled further into the Doctor and ran a hand back and forth along his thigh. "This has been a perfect Christmas, hasn't it?" she murmured.

"Yeah," he agreed softly. "It has."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied. "Now you're pregnant, though, Rose..."

"Yeah?"

"Well, I don't feel comfortable with you running around chasing aliens," he said, fearing her reaction.

"You think I should give up Torchwood?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

"I think so, too."

"You do?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah. It'll be weird, not doing it, but I want to keep him or her safe."

"Good," nodded the Doctor. "'Cos I find it hard enough when I watch you risk your life day after day. I don't think I have the strength to do so knowing there's a mini-version of you in there too."

Rose laughed into his chest and squeezed his knee. "Will you miss me?"

"No," he answered, and she squeezed his knee harder. "Ow! No, I mean, I won't need to. I'm going to stop, too."

"What?" she murmured, bewildered. "But they need you!"

"No, you and the little one need me," he corrected, pressing a hand to her stomach gently. "Torchwood managed well enough without me before. It's probably you they'll miss the most. You've done some amazing things for that place, Rose Tyler. Much of it without me helping. You're the one they need." He kissed the shell of her ear. "But can't have."

She tilted her head to give him access to her neck, and he complied with her hint, running his lips over the sensitive skin there. "What are we going to do with ourselves, if we aren't saving the World?" she pondered. "I don't know if we know how to be normal, you and me."

He grinned wickedly against her neck, and darted his tongue out to lick his way to behind her ear. "We'll think of something." He had to _shh_ her when he bit her earlobe, because she made a loud noise of appreciation. "You're family's still in the room, remember?" he murmured quietly, glancing over at where Jackie and Pete were curled up on the sofa together, watching their son play.

"How long until they go, do you think?" Rose wondered.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Why? Getting impatient?" he teased.

"Yes," she whispered. "Very." She trailed her hand down to his crotch. "And so are you."

"Yeah, but I can switch it off like _that_ as soon as I decide to tune your mother's voice back in. It's really quite astonishingly clever, that."

"I'm impressed," Rose praised.

"You should be. I'm impressive."

"You are," she agreed. "When do you reckon was the time at which you impregnated me, then, eh?"

He chuckled, slipping a hand under her top to stroke her stomach tenderly. "I don't know. Could be any day or night from the last three months really, couldn't it."

"I wonder how far along I am," she said, biting her lip excitedly.

"We'll find out soon. And then we can pinpoint the exact day that I, the Doctor, defied the Condom," he drawled, and she laughed so hard that she jerked against him, and he abruptly realised that they needed to sneak off to the bedroom, and pronto. "You, me, celebration sex, now," he murmured huskily.

"Blimey," she breathed. "I like this demanding you."

"Come on, let's sneak off," he whispered. "It looks like they're switching on _The Snowman, _and I cry too much at that film anyway."

Rose giggled, crawling on her knees. "Right, I'll go first, you leave it ten seconds so we don't alert them."

"Yes ma'am," he agreed, shoving her bum, and she started shuffling towards the bedroom expertly quickly; all those years of crawling through air vents and along secret corridors to impede alien plots having paid off, he admired proudly. He counted to seven, then got bored and followed her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"We made it," he whispered into the darkness of the bedroom as he closed the door behind him. He felt her grab hold of his hands and drag him towards the bed, and heard her mumble her agreement.

They divested themselves of their clothes tremendously swiftly, and he pushed her onto the bed, climbing above her as she scooted up to rest her head on the pillow.

"Let me turn on the light," she giggled as he kissed her, preventing her from reaching her lamp.

"Doesn't matter," he mumbled against her neck, aligning their bodies perfectly. "I know every inch of you in the dark too, you know."

"Mmm, likewise," she grinned, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Did you lock the door?"

He stared at her in alarm. "Rose, they aren't going to burst into our bedroom," he pointed out. "They may be intrusive in-laws but they aren't _that _intrusive."

"What about Tony, eh? He doesn't know the boundaries," she countered.

The Doctor groaned, shifting slightly to relieve some pressure. "Just forget about the bloody door, yeah? Anyway, Tony does know the boundaries, he must do, 'cos he told me the other day that he walked in on Jackie and Pete in the bath together once and he said 'so I won't be going in there without knocking again.' So there, you see? Your brother is _sensible. _He knows of the concept of _knocking. _So can I make love to you now? Please?"

"You just mentioned my mum and dad and together and bath in the same sentence. I don't think I'll ever forgive you for that," she told him seriously.

"_Rose," _he sighed impatiently, pressing his forehead into hers. "I'm sorry, please let's just - "

Abruptly, Rose shifted her hips and resolved the issue somewhat, and the Doctor sighed in relief. "Excellent, thank you," he murmured in appreciation.

"Make it quick, 'cos I'm scared they'll come in," Rose requested, her hands raking down his back.

"No problem of that," he assured her, sliding deeper, and she gasped into his mouth. "Quiet, though, yeah?" he reminded her. "Just this once, see if you can," he teased.

Rose would've hit him around the face for that, but she was too busy concentrating on not making a sound. His thrusts were quick and forceful, just how she'd asked for, and her hands grasped for purchase on the headboard behind her. He kissed her lips, her neck, anywhere he could reach; his hands on her hips, pulling her to him with each movement forward, relishing in the feel of her legs around him.

"I love you," he told her, for quite possibly the billionth time that day, she pondered, but it was still as sincere as the first time, and she loved him even more for that.

"Harder," she whispered in response.

"Rose," he murmured, kissing her sweetly before nipping her bottom lip in an affectionate bite. "Any harder and the bed'll be making so much noise that they'll know _exactly _what's going on in here."

"Don't care," she gasped out.

"Well, you've changed your tune," he teased, before wilfully slowing the pace.

"_Doctor_," she moaned in frustration. "What are you doing?"

"Shh," he scolded. "They'll hear."

"But why are you slowing down?" she protested.

"Listen," he whispered, before slowing to a stop.

She swallowed her irritation and did as he asked. "I can't hear - "

" – shh, there, listen..."

She did. She couldn't hear anything. She was getting annoyed. "Doctor, how is it it's alright for you to want to do it fast and do it immediately, but once I've been worked up to the same - "

He kissed her, partly because he could, mostly to stop her talking. He kept his mouth over hers to muffle her sounds of protest.

When he finally pulled back, she was glaring at him, and even though he couldn't see it in the dark, he could tell she was doing so. "You better have an explanation - "

" – they've gone."

" – or else you're...what do you mean? Who's gone?"

"_They've_ gone: Jackie, Pete and Tony. I heard the front door go, and just then I heard their car pull away." He kissed her forehead. "Good explanation?"

"They didn't say goodbye," she mumbled, sounding put out.

The Doctor groaned, but decided against complaining about her _bloody hormones_, figuring this time it's a lot his fault. "We were a bit busy," he pointed out, before resuming his movements, this time slow and steady.

"Oh," she sighed happily. "We're back in motion."

"Yep, and you can make as much noise as you like now, 'cos there's no one to hear you scream."

"Think highly of yourself, don't you," she laughed.

He thrust harder, and her laugh turned into a shout, which she instantly tried to cover up, but failed epically at doing so. "No," he answered. "I just know what you are like. And what you like," he added thoughtfully. It was seemingly appropriate.

"Idiot," she muttered.

"Oi! I'm the father of your baby, you know. You shouldn't be insulting me - gahhh," he gasped suddenly, when Rose licked a path up his neck before latching onto his earlobe.

"Shut up," she requested sweetly.

"'kay..." he mumbled, quite able to do as she asked considering he couldn't remember many words any longer. Or any, in fact.


End file.
